The invention relates to a shoe having improved construction and, more particularly, a shoe having an outsole sewn to an upper employing unique stitching.
There are a wide variety of shoe constructions. One construction method, known as Opanka construction, includes sewing the outsole to the upper of the shoe along an outer periphery of the outsole.
Referring to FIG. 1, an Opanka shoe construction is shown. The shoe 10 includes outsole 12 being secured to the upper 14 by threads 16 that pass through a plurality of aligning holes in both outsole 12 and upper 14. FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of upper 14 where the top of threads 16 is depicted.
FIG. 2 shows a cross sectional view of the shoe shown in FIG. 1. As shown, threads 16 pass through both upper 14 and outsole 12 from top to bottom and vice versa. To prevent threads 16 from being worn due to walking, thereby prolonging the life of threads and keeping outsole 12 secured to upper 14, the shoe includes a channel 18 to protect threads 16. Without channel 18, threads 16 may fail at a quicker rate and cause outsole 12 to separate from upper 14.
However, channel 18 may not prevent all objects, especially small rocks, dirt, or debris, from entering channel 18 and damaging threads 16. Additionally, having an outsole that shows both channel and threads 16 may detract from the appearance of the shoe.
In FIG. 3, an alternative embodiment of the Opanka construction shoe shown in FIG. 1, is shown having channel 20 on a side of outsole 12. In this fashion, one may argue that less debris or dirt will penetrate channel 20 due to its position on a side of outsole 12 as opposed to the bottom of outsole 12, as shown in FIG. 2. However, one may also argue that channel 20 is more visible on the side of the shoe as opposed to the bottom of the shoe and that the utilitarian benefits of placing channel 20 on the side is offset by the unattractiveness of making channel 20 more visible.
What is desired, therefore, is a shoe having an improved construction. Another desire is to provide a shoe where the stitching used for securing the outsole to the upper does not employ the use of a channel. A further desire is to provide a shoe that eliminates the need for a channel without sacrificing the strength of the shoe. Still a further desire is to provide a shoe construction that enhances the appearance of the shoe.
Accordingly, it is an object of the invention to provide a shoe having an improved construction.
Another desire is to provide a shoe that prolongs the life of the stitching used to secure the upper and outsole together.
A further desire is to provide a shoe where the stitching used for securing the outsole to the upper is hidden to improve appearance.
These and other objects of the invention are achieved by provision of a shoe having an outsole having a side wall and a bottom. The side wall is connected to a peripheral edge of the bottom and also has a protrusion extending from the side wall, where an upper of the shoe connects to the protrusion.
The shoe may connect the upper to the protrusion by sewing them together in at least one localized area.
In some embodiments, the upper and protrusion each have a respective top surface and a respective bottom surface and may include a thread used to sew the upper to the protrusion by cyclically passing the thread downwardly through the upper and protrusion, along the bottom surface of the protrusion, upwardly through the protrusion and upper, and along the upper surface of the upper.
In other embodiments, the side wall may have an upper end and a lower end, where the lower end connects to the peripheral edge and the protrusion extends from the upper end.
In further embodiments, the side wall may connect to an entire peripheral edge of the bottom such that the side wall and bottom define a cavity. The protrusion may also extend from the side wall along an entire circumference of the side wall, where the upper is connected to the protrusion along the entire circumference of the side wall.
In another aspect, the invention includes a method for providing a shoe, including the steps of providing a bottom of an outsole, connecting a side wall of the outsole to a peripheral edge of the bottom, extending a protrusion from the side wall, and connecting an upper of the shoe to the protrusion.
The method may also include the step of sewing the upper to the protrusion using a thread. The method may cyclically pass the thread downwardly through the upper and the protrusion, along a bottom surface of the protrusion, upwardly through the protrusion and the upper, and along an upper surface of the upper.
In some embodiments, the method further includes the step of connecting a lower end of the side wall to the peripheral edge of the bottom and extending the protrusion from an upper end of the side wall.
In further embodiments, the method may optionally connect the side wall to an entire peripheral edge of the bottom such that the side wall and the bottom define a cavity. Similarly, the method may also optionally extend the protrusion from the side wall along an entire circumference of the side wall and connect the upper to the protrusion along the entire circumference of the side wall.
The invention and its particular features and advantages will become more apparent from the following detailed description considered with reference to the accompanying drawings.